League: No one is telling players to skip NFLPA event

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello denied a report alleging that league employees are attempting to sabotage the NFL Players Association's planned draft event in New York.

Mike Freeman of CBSSports.com reported Tuesday that -- according to agents for some of the top draft prospects -- team scouts, personnel men and assistant coaches are telling them their clients should stay away from the NFLPA event. According to Freeman, the agents are particularly upset with the involvement of "one of the lead draft analysts for NFL.com."

Here's a harsh reality of the NFL draft: Some teams wish they could just go back in time for a second chance. This week, former personnel executives Pat Kirwan and Michael Lombardi rewrite the drafts from 2004 to 2008.

Aiello confirmed that Freeman likely is referring to Gil Brandt, who has assisted the NFL since 1995 in inviting the top prospects to New York. Aiello spoke to Brandt on Tuesday morning and was confident Brandt has "never told any of the players they would not be allowed to attend the draft and walk on stage with the commissioner, as the story claims."

Aiello added that the league isn't aware of any similar statements being made by club personnel.

"The bottom line is that the league is not trying to discourage players from attending NFLPA events," Aiello said. "If someone has specific information to the contrary, we would be interested in knowing about it."

The NFLPA announced Monday its plans for draft weekend festivities, which will not directly conflict with the first two days of the 2011 NFL Draft itself.

The trade association will hold a welcome dinner at a Times Square hotel April 28, which will go from 4 to 6 p.m. ET and give draft-eligible players ample time to makeit to Radio City Music Hall for the 8 p.m. start of the draft. On Friday, the NFLPA will host interviews with the players, a lunch and reception and dinner, which will wrap up at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the players will hold a morning clinic in Harlem and have a wrap party at Cipriani Wall Street.

In its release, the NFLPA included 20 rookies and 24 veterans or retired players as participants.